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Comparing Cardinals’ and 49ers’ 2025 defensive draft picks

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2025 NFL Draft - Rounds 2 & 3
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Both teams looked to bolster their defensive talent in the 2025 NFL Draft

Coming into the 2025 NFL Draft the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers had quite a few common needs on defense. Here are the 4 biggies:

  • DT
  • ED
  • CB
  • ILB
  • S/STs gunner

Heading into the draft, what was daunting for the Cardinals was their disparity in draft picks in comparison to the 49ers —- 6 to 11.

To highlight this disparity, let’s take a look at Chad Reuter’s pre-draft 7-round mock on nfl.com to see what he was predicting for the Cardinals and 49ers:

Seven-round 2025 NFL mock draft: Patriots pick Ashton Jeanty in Round 1; Packers trade up

Round 1:

  • 11. SF —- Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
  • 16. ARI —- Kelvin Banks Jr., T, Texas

Round 2:

  • 43. SF —- Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio St.
  • 47. ARI —- Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech

Round 3:

  • 75. SF —- Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida St.
  • 78. ARI —- T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina
  • 100. SF —- Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio St.

Round 4:

  • 113. SF —- Kyle Williams, WR, Washington St.
  • 115. ARI —- Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas St.
  • 138. SF —- Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma St.

Round 5:

  • 147. SF —- Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa
  • 152. ARI —- Tyler Baron, ED, Miami
  • 160. SF —- John Williams, T, Cincinnati

Round 7:

  • 225. ARI —- Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
  • 227. SF —- Ahmed Hassanein, ED, Boise St.
  • 249. SF —- Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona
  • 252. SF —- Sebastain Valdez, DT, Washington

Commentary:

Obviously, Chad Reuter’s crystal ball turned out to be a snow globe for his 49ers and Cardinals picks. The most fascinating part is Reuter predicting the 49ers to take CB Will Johnosn at #11 and Denzel Burke at pick #100 and, as fate would have it, the Cardinals were able to pick Will Johnson at pick #47 and Denzel Burke at pick #174. Wow! Just wow!

The teams’ picks on defense:

49ers:

  • 11. Mykel Williams, ED, Georgia
  • 43. Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
  • 75. Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma St.
  • 102. Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
  • 113. CJ West, DT, Indiana
  • 160. Marques Sigle, S, Kansas St.

Cardinals:

  • 16. Walter Nolen III, DT, Mississippi
  • 47. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
  • 78. Jordan Burch, ED, Oregon
  • 115. Cody Simon, LB, Ohio St.
  • 174. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio St.
  • 225. Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada

Commentary:

  • What’s astounding is the fact that despite the 49ers having almost twice the number of draft picks than the Cardinals heading into the draft, that the Cardinals would wind up taking as many defensive players (6) as the 49ers.
  • Prior to the draft, a number of draft gurus were predicting that the 49ers at #11 were going to select DT Kenneth Grant of Michigan or DT Walter Nolen of Mississippi. That was a scenario that I and many of you were dreading, as high as we were on Grant and Nolen. Last season, the 49ers, uncharacteristically, were 18th in the NFL in rush defense, giving up 2,118 yards at a 4.4 average. By comparison, the Cardinals finished 20th, giving up 2,149 yards at a 4.6 average. Furthermore, the 49ers were 30th in the NFL in rush TDs defense with 24, while the Cardinals were 21st with 18.
  • Therefore, it was kind of a surprise that the 49ers decided to go with edge rusher Mykel Williams instead of Kenneth Grant or Walter Nolen, especially now in light of the 49ers completing a trade for edge rusher Bryce Huff who played so well for Robert Saleh while with the Jets. The Huff trade seemed to be inevitable given the Eagles urgency to trade him and the 49ers’ connection to him.
  • By not selecting one of the top DTs in Round 1, in Round 2, it appeared to force the 49ers’ hand to draft a run-stuffer in Alfred Collins at Pick #43 when CB Will Johnson was still miraculously on the board. Imagine how the NFL world would be gushing over the 49ers this off-season had they been the ones to select Will Johnson. It’s possible and perhaps even likely that if the 49ers had taken Will Johnson in Round 2, numerous NFL pundits would be touting the 49ers to win the NFC West this season.
  • In reviewing what Monti Ossenfort, Dave Sears and the Cardinals’ scouts were able to accomplish in the 2025 draft, the 5th round trade that they made for a later 5th round pick and a 6th round pick looks all the more fortuitous now, given that they were still able to take CB Denzel Burke of Ohio St. (whom they likely would have taken anyway had they stayed put), plus then in Round 6 being able to add G Hayden Conner of Texas.
  • Now, at the time, I and some of you wondered about taking yet another CB, Monti’s 7th in 3 years. However, as it turned out, this was a classic case of dramatic irony —- because we did not know what Monti knew with regard to Sean Murphy-Bunting’s season-ending knee injury.

Player Comparisons (per PFF grades and stats):

DT: Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, CJ West

  • Pass Rush Grades: Nolen 75.0, Collins 69.8, West 72.9
  • Run Defense Grades: Nolen 91.6, Collins 85.0, West 88.1
  • True Set Pass Rush: Nolen 80.8, Collins 77.8, West 70.12
  • Pass Rush Win Rate: Nolen 10.9%, Collins 6.9%, West 10.1%
  • Run Stop Rate: Nolen 11.9%, Collins 7.4%, West 11.4%.
  • Tackles: Nolen 48 (25 solo), Collins 55 (27 solo), West 40 (14 solo)
  • Tackles for Loss: Nolen 14, Collins 6, West 8
  • QB Pressures: Nolen 25, Collins 17, West 19
  • QB Sacks: Nolen 6.5, Collins 1.0, West 2.0

Commentary:

The grades and numbers suggest that Walter Nolen could very well happen to be the most gifted pass rusher and run defender of this trio.

ED: Mykel Willams, Jordan Burch

  • Pass Rush Grade: Williams 70.7, Burch 81.3
  • Run Defense Grade: Williams 82.9, Burch 68.1
  • True Set Pass Rush: Williams 61.0, Burch 86.8
  • Pass Rush Win Rate: Williams 11.1%, Burch 15.7%
  • Run Stop Win Rate: Williams 7.6%, Burch 2.9%
  • Tackles: Williams 21 (15 solo), Burch 31 (13 solo)
  • Tackles for Loss: Williams 9, Burch 11
  • QB Pressures: Williams 15, Burch 20
  • QB Sacks: Williams 5, Burch 10

Commentary:

Even though Mykel Williams was playing through an ankle injury for a few games, he played in 12 games. Jordan Burch played in 10 games, which, imo, makes Burch’s pass rushing stats all the more impressive. With regard to run defense, the context to consider is that Jordan Burch was lined up inside quite often. Thus, there are two unknowns here: (1) how better Williams will rush the passer when fully healthy; (2) how well Burch can defend the edge in 7 and 9 techniques.

CB: Will Jonson, Upton Stout, Denzel Burke (per Lance Zierlein of nfl.com)

  • Prospect Grade: Johnson 6.50, Stout 5.89, Burke 6.16
  • Production Grade: Johnson 80, Stout 64 , Burke 70
  • Athleticism Grade: Johnson 83, Stout 62, Burke 70
  • Height/Weight: Johnson 6-2, 194, Stout 5-8 1/2, 181, Burke 5-11, 186
  • 40 Time: Johnson N/A, Stout 4.44, Burke 4.48
  • Vertical: Johnson 37”, Stout 37.5”, Burke 32.2”
  • Career Tackles: Johnson 68 (51 solo), Stout 166 (105 solo), Burke 143 (107 solo)
  • Career Pass Breakups: Johnson 10, Stout 15, Burke 28
  • Career Interceptions: Johnson 9 (3 TDs), Stout 6 (2 TD), Burke 4 (1 TD)

Will Johnson, Michigan

By Lance Zierlein (nfl.com)

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Round 1

NFL Comparison

Jaycee Horn

Overview

Teams love big, fluid cornerbacks with ball production and that is exactly what Johnson offers. He’s instinctive and plays with good body control and change of direction in space. He can play man coverage, but he’s at his best when playing with his eyes forward instead of chasing routes downfield. Johnson displays good pre-snap recognition and can read and anticipate routes/throws at a high level. While he plays the role of thief in coverage, he needs to balance that mentality with a healthy respect for NFL route-runners, as he might lack the recovery speed to close the distance at a desired rate. He has coveted traits and his areas of concern fail to stand out as impediments for what could become a long, successful career as a future Pro Bowler.

Upton Stout, Western Kentucky

By Lance Zierlein (nfl.com)

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Rounds 6-7

Overview

An undersized cornerback who spent much of his time playing wide corner, Stout has the twitch and athleticism to project inside. What he lacks in length he makes up for with his competitiveness. He’s a natural pattern reader with the hips and feet to match breaks without giving up much separation. There are times he fails to trust his cover talent, holding and grabbing without cause. He’s fairly instinctive and has the short-area burst to squeeze throwing windows. Stout’s physical profile could hurt his draft standing, but the determination and athleticism will be hard to ignore.

Denzel Burke, Ohio St.

By Lance Zierlein (nfl.com)

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Round 4

Overview

Productive four-year starter with the ability to press and navigate zone coverages. Burke possesses NFL size and strength to slow and control the release from press. His coverage movements are smooth, but he’s not always instinctive or natural in man coverage. Burke struggles with change of direction as a pattern-matcher and lacks the closing burst to make up for it. He’s capable from zone but needs to prioritize the ball over the man when breaking on the throw. He’s fierce in run support and tackles with good technique to stop ball-carriers. Burke fits as a downhill zone corner with special-teams ability.

Commentary:

Will Johnson and Denzel Burke are boundary CBs who excel in zone coverage. Upton Stout is a slot CB whose tenacity and aggressive style of play is akin to Kei’Trel Clark’s. All three players appear to be nifty system fits.

LB: Nickolas Martin, Cody Simon (PFF, nfl.com, stats)

  • Overall Grade: Martin 67.1, Simon 87.7
  • Pass Rush Grade: Martin 84.4, Simon 80.6
  • Run Defense Grade: Martin 63.2, Simon 90.6
  • Pass Coverage Grade: Martin 66.2, Simon 72.7
  • Missed Tackle %: Martin 15.5%, Simon 11.5%
  • Prospect Grade: Martin 5.95, Simon 6.22
  • 40 Time: Martin 4.53, Simon 4.53
  • Vertical: Martin 38”, Simon 33.5”
  • Height/Weight: Martin 5-11 1/2, 221, Simon 6-2, 229
  • Career Tackles: Martin 203 (122 solo), Simon 259 (115 solo)
  • Career Sacks: Martin 7, Simon 10
  • Career Pass Breakups: Martin 2, Simon 11
  • Career Interceptions: Martin 2, Simon 1

Commentary:

Nikolas Martin only played in 5 games in 2024 due to a knee injury. His 2023 tape conjures up an athletic WILB likeness to Dre Greenlaw’s. Thus, Martin’s game, when he’s healthy, is a little more nuanced than Cody Simon’s —- which, to begin with, is your basic bread-and-butter downhill tackler. Scouts have been well aware of Nikolas Martin’s athleticism but could they have also been sleeping on Simon’s outstanding production and leadership?

Plus, Simon, with his 4.5 speed put on a pass coverage clinic versus Notre Dame in the Natty by swiftly closing in and clamping down on Notre Dame’s uber-fast RBs. In coverage, Simon’s 20 coverage stops this past season tied for 11th best in the Division 1A. Plus, Simon just might as good or better blitzer than Martin. It would seem that both the 49ers and Cardinals were getting the ILB prototype they were looking for at ILB with Nikolas Martin and Cody Simon.

S: Marques Sigle, Kitan Crawford (PFF, nfl.com)

  • Overall Grade: Sigle 72.4, Crawford 81.1
  • Coverage Grade: Sigle 68.3, Crawford 88.5
  • Run Defense Grade: Sigle 85.2, Crawford 66.3
  • Missed Tackle %: Sigle 16.7%, Crawford 16.2%
  • Forced Incompletion rate: Sigle 7.3%, Crawford 16.3% (blue dot)
  • TDs given up/Interceptions: Sigle 5/3, Crawford 0/2
  • Prospect Grade: Sigle: 5.99, Crawford 5.94
  • Production: Sigle: 71, Crawford 62
  • Athleticism: Sigle 84, Crawford 89
  • 40 Time: Sigle: 4.37, Crawford 4.41
  • Vertical: Sigle: 38”, Crawford 41.5”

Marques Sigle, Kansas St.

By Lance Zierlein

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Round 5

Overview

Two-year starter at Kansas State after transferring from North Dakota State. Sigle is well built and plays the game with ideal aggression. He’s a physical run defender who can blow up plays in the backfield but is in too big a hurry as a tackler, resulting in a higher miss rate. He might lack the necessary speed and instincts to make plays in coverage from man or zone. Sigle is listed as a safety, but he will need to play near the line of scrimmage or as a big nickel with coverage limitations. He has NFL backup potential with good special teams’ traits.

Kitan Crawford, Nevada

By Lance Zierlein

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Rounds 4-5

Overview

Fifth-year senior who made his way to Nevada for his final season after four years at Texas. Crawford lacks height and arm length, but he’s compact and very explosive. His testing at the combine showed off his long speed. He needs to play with better timing to make it work for him more consistently, though. Crawford is inconsistent as a run defender but is more than willing to hit. He needs to find a position fit as either a big nickelback or backup safety to pair with a starring role on special teams.

Commentary:

Marques Sigle and Kitan Crawford are speedy special team gunners who could, with time, provide quality snaps as backup or sub package safeties.

Team Draft Grades: (per nfl.com)

2025 NFL Draft: Final snap grades for all 32 teams

Arizona Cardinals —- Grade A-

Draft picks

Grades

Analysis:

  • Arizona focused on defense on the first two days of the draft, taking two potential stars in Nolen and Johnson. If Nolen can put it all together and Johnson can stay healthy, they will lift the Cardinals’ defense to a new level.
  • Simon just seems to find the ball. He’ll make plays inside and outside for the Cardinals. His fellow Buckeye, Burke, has the athleticism to stick on the roster. They found a needed offensive lineman in Conner, and I expect Crawford to surprise as a nickel safety his rookie season. Arizona should be looking to sign multiple undrafted free agent receivers to compete for a roster spot.

San Francisco 49ers —- Grade B+

Draft picks

Grades

Analysis:

  • Williams’ length and power on the edge give him promise, and Collins and Martin are excellent replacement options for Javon Hargrave and Dre Greenlaw, respectively. Stout’s frame might not match his descriptive name, but his game certainly does.
  • San Francisco added a second run-stopper in West before finally selecting some offensive playmakers for Brock Purdy. Watkins flashed big-play ability in college and James will be the next late-round running back find for the Niners. Sigle is one of my favorite Day 3 picks as a special teamer and potential future starter at safety. Rourke is another talented quarterback worth a seventh-round flyer, while Colby could stick as a blocker for James and protector for Purdy and Rourke.

Conclusion:

I think that given the fact that the 49ers were generally picking earlier than the Cardinals and that they had 11 draft picks to the Cardinals’ 7, from the looks of it, the Cardinals may have exceeded the pre-draft expectations, both from a standpoint of their own and the pundits’. Look at Chad Reuter’s mock for the Cardinals. And look at what the Cardinals accomplished.

Now, I am reluctant to gloat over what on paper appears to be a major success, nor do I want to make any hasty conclusions. That said, I feel extremely excited and relieved to see the Cardinals make this kind of Power 4 talent splash in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The major question now is whether the Cardinals’ defensive coaches can do as good or better a job than the 49ers’ coaches of assimilating these highly talented rookies into their system?

  • DC Nick Rallis (3rd year as DC, 8th year overall) —- Robert Saleh (5th year as DC, 4 years HC, 21st year overall)
  • DLC: Winston DeLattiboudere III (1st year, 1st year overall) —- Kris Kokurec (7th year, 27th year overall)
  • OLBC: Matt Feeney (1st year, 4th year overall) —- Greg Scruggs (1st year, 2nd overall)
  • ILBC: Cristian Garcia (1st year, 2nd year overall) —- Johnny Holland (9th year, 27th overall)
  • CBC: Ryan Smith (3rd year, 3rd year overall) —-Ray Brown (1st year, 1st year overall
  • DBC: Patrick Toney (3rd year, 3rd year overall) —- Daniel Bullocks (9th year, 10th year overall)
  • AHC-Defense —- not a staff position for Cardinals —- Gus Bradley (1st year, 21st year overall, 12 years as NFL DC, 4 years as NFL HC)

Amazing that 4 of the 49ers’ defensive coaches (Saleh, Kokurec, Holland and Bradley) each have more years of NFL experience than all of the Cardinals’ current defensive coaches combined.

Hey, sometimes, as they say, too many chefs can spoil the broth.

Thus, how great would be if our Cardinals can find a way to outperform the 49ers, Rams and Seahawks in 2025?